Switch



SWITCH Filed Dec. 11, 1934 F/Ga.

INVENTOR Mum NH (ZN/v0 'r Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE to Samson-United N. Y.

Corporation, Rochester,

Application December 11, 1934, Serial No. 756,940

has for one of its objects to provide a novel, ex-

tremely simple and inexpensive construction for a such a switch.

Another object of this inventionis to provide a simply constructed switch with a quick make and break connection.- 4

A further object of this invention is to so construct the switch that it is self centering and self insulating from the housing which surrounds it.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a switch which can be readily adjusted in various ways for the desired pressure of push necessary for the operation of it. 7

A further object of'this invention is to so construct t he switch that its make and break elements will have a very long life.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel construction for a switch in which the various parts serve to properlyalign each other during the assembly of the switch.

Another object of this invention is to so, construct the switch that one of the terminals may be integrally formed in the frame members of the switch or'in conjunction with the connecting members of the frame members.

All these and other objects and attendant advantages will become more readily apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which v a Figure 1 is a front elevation of my novel switch as it appears incorporated in the handle of an electrical device, the handle being shown in section.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of my novel switch as it appears mounted in the handle of anelectrical device.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the switch and the handle which surrounds it, the section being taken on the line 3a:-3r of Figure 1. 7

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the switch.

Figure 5 is a det 'l perspective view of one of -the interchangeable frame members of the switch.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the operating member of the switch.

Figure '7 is a detail perspective view of the movable spring contact finger of the switch.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of the cam portion of the push rod.

In the several figures of the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

Thesimplified click switch forming the subject matter of my present invention is adapted to be mounted in a suitable housing in the handle of an electrical device or in the frame of an electrical device etc., in fact, may be mounted for use as a quick acting make and break switch wherever such a switch is desirable.

In the drawing I have illustrated the switch in combination with a hollow handle i such as is used for curling irons and other electrically heated devices. The switch proper is inserted into the cylind'rically hollow center 2 of this handle into a position in which the supporting bearing for the transversely moving push rod 3 of the switch is in line with the holes 4 and 5 provided in the handle I and permits the insertion of the push rod into the switch thru one of these openings. In this position the ends of the push rod 3 are free to be pushed in and out of the handle in the operation of the switch. In addition the push rod serves as a locating memher for the switch and holds it against endwise movement in the handle or housing.

The frame for the switch comprises a pair of duplicate metal straps 6, 6 which have a semicylindrical groove 1 formed therein so as to extend transversely thereof. The two metal straps are placed so as to have the open side of the grooves I face each other and-provide a substantially cylindrical bearing between them in which the push rod 3 is held in place and can slide back and forth therein. The metal straps 6, Bare spaced at the top and bottom by a pair of insulating washers 8, 8 which extend to either side of the metal straps and provide suitable.- insulating bracing members with which the switch is centrally held in place in the cylindricaliy hollow interior of the handle or housing by engaging the inside wall of the interior of the handle or housing and extending diametrically from one I side to the other thereof. i

In the upper end of the metal straps 6, 6 is formed a large hole 9 and in each of these holes is placed an insulating washer Ill with a second and larger insulating washer lllocated on the outside of each strap over the insulating washers l0 and a copper rivet l2 extending thru the holes of these washers, the spacing washer 8 and a suitable soldering lug or terminal l3 to clamp the two metal straps 6, 6 together at one end and hold them electrically insulated from each other with the rivet forming an electrical connection between its head DA on one side of the switch and the soldering lug or terminal l3 on the other side of the switch.

The lower ends of the straps 6, 6 are perforated by the holes H, M and a rivet l5 extends thru these holes and the spacing washer 8 and clamps the eye I6 of the bronze spring contact finger I! to the outside of one of the metal straps 6 and the soldering lug or terminal IE to the outside of the other metal strap 6 and thus provides a good electrical connection between the soldering lug and the contact finger and firmly anchors the contact finger in place on the switch.

To keep the metal straps suitably spaced intermediate of the spacing washers 8, 8 small spacing tits 6A are formed in the metal straps so as to engage each other near the push rod bearing formed by the transverse grooves in the straps so as to keep the grooves properly spaced and prevent a binding of the push rod in the bearing formed by them should the metal straps be accidentally forced together intermediate the spacing washers 8, 8.

Each of the grooves l in the metal straps 6, 6 is provided in the middle with a longitudinal guide slot I9 and the spring contact finger I! is provided with a semi-circular offset 20 so as to project thru the guide slot of one of the metal straps into engagement with the sliding cam 2| provided in the side of the push rod 3. The guide slot thus holds the spring finger in constant alignment between the rivets l2 and I5 while the contact finger is flexed to move its free end into or out of contact with the head |2A of the rivet l2.

The spring finger is fiexed by the cam 2| provided in the push rod 3 which is formed in an elongated groove and comprises a straight cam surface having one end inclined into a notch 22. A rectangular shoulder 23 is provided at each end of the groove and the semicircular ofiset 20 of the spring finger projects into the groove to engage the cam 2| to drop into or be forced out of the notch 22 as the push rod is pushed from one side to the other and the cam 2| is operated thereby. The engagement of the ofiset 20 of the spring contact finger with the shoulders 23 limit the movement of the push rod tothe length of the cam and the notch 23 thereof and the inward tension of the spring finger is adjusted so that its offset will slide overg'the cam surface and drop into the notch and be forced out thereof by the inclined end of the cam whenever a predetermined pressure is exerted to push the push rod in one or the other direction. The pressure on the push rod for the operation thereof may be changed by increasing or decreasing the tension of the spring finger against the cam surface so that the switch may be made to operate for any desired push against the push rod 3.

As heretofore pointed out, the make and break contact of the switch is made between the end of the bronze spring finger l1 and the head |2A of the copper rivet l2, and the inclined end of the cam 2| operating on the spring finger is such that it quickly flexes the finger at the beginning of the movement of the push rod to open the switch and allows the spring finger to quickly flex back at the end of the movement of the push rod to close the switch. This results in a quick terminal l8 for one of the electrical connections to the switch, the electrical connection may be made direct to the lug 25 or the hole 26 with which the metal straps 6, 6 are provided.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the switch assembly provides a central partition within the hollow interior of the handle or housing and provides two parallel ducts thru the housing, one of which provides unobstructed space for the spring contact finger to move therein, while the other provides unobstructed space for the fixed electrical connection thru the housing or handle.

In the design of the cam 2| which is shown enlarged in Figure 8, the radius of the curvature of the bottom of the shoulder 22 is but slightly larger than the radius of the cross section of the spring finger and this curvature merges with a curvature in the opposite direction having a larger radius. The resultant shoulder is thus inclined to set up a predetermined resistance to the movement of the finger over the shoulder which must be overcome by a pressure which, when exerted against the push rod, forces the finger quickly and entirely out of the notch at the end of the cam surface and prevents a part movement of the push rod which would not result in a complete operation of the switch. The same is true when the push rod is moved in the opposite direction to close the switch at the end of which movement the wire will quickly slide over the curved shoulder 22 and drop into the notch to close the switch.

I claim:

1. A make and break switch comprising a strap, a fixed insulated contact member carried at one end of said strap, a flexible spring finger anchored to the other end of said strap and cam means movably mounted transversely of said strap, intermediate the ends thereof to cause said spring finger to move into and out of contact with said fixed contact member.

2. A make and break switch comprising a pair of straps, a fixed insulated contact member carried at one end of said straps, a flexible spring finger anchored to one of said straps and cam 'means movably mounted between said straps, in-

termediate the ends thereof to cause said spring finger to move into and out of contact with said fixed contact member.

3. A make and break switch comprising a pair of straps, a groove formed in each of said straps opposite to each other to provide a transverse bearing between them, a push rod mounted to slide in said transverse bearing, a fixed insulated contact member located on one side of said transverse bearing and a movable spring finger anchored at the other side of said bearing and extending across said bearing into contact with said fixed contact, and cam means carried by said push rod and engaging said spring finger to cause said spring finger to move toward and away from said fixed contact on the movement of said push-rod in said bearing.

4. A make and break switch comprising a pair of parallel straps, combined spacing and supporting means carried between said straps at each end thereof, a transverse bearing formed between said straps intermediate the end thereof, a push rod mounted to slide in said bearing, a spring finger having one end anchored to one of said straps on one side of said bearing, a fixed contact member carried by said straps insulated thereon and located on the other side of said bearing, and means carried by said push rod to cause a movement of 2,047,165 said spring finger into and out oi contact with.

ber so as to have said operating member cause said spring finger to move into and out of contact with said fixed contact member on the operation of the operating member.

6. A make and break switch comprising a pair of parallel straps bent to have a transverse groove formed therein on opposing sides to provide a supporting bearing between them, a push rod mounted to slide in said bearing and a cam formed on said push rod within said bearing, one of said transverse grooves formed in one of said straps having a transverse guide slot provided therein, and a spring finger anchored to said strap and extending into said guide slot into yielding contact with said cam of said push rod to cause said spring finger to move in said guide slot on the movement of said push rod.

7. A make and break switch comprising a pair of spaced parallel straps one of which has a longitudinal slot therein, a spring finger anchored to said straps, an offset formed in said spring finger so as to extend into said slot, a fixed contact member carried by said straps in line with said spring finger, and means movable between said straps to engage said offset in said spring finger to cause said spring finger to move into and out of contact with said fixed contact member.

8. In combination with a substantially cylindrical and hollow housing having a substantially uniform internal diameter thruout its hollow length with an opening at one end thereof to permit the insertion of a switch thereinto, of a switch having a substantially fiat base mounted to form a diametrical partition in said housing so as to provide a pair of parallel ducts within the housing and hold the'switch carried thereby spaced from the walls of said housing, a push rod diametrically mounted to move in said housing transversely of said b359,.911d a spring finger mounted on one side of said base and operated by said push rod to move unobstructed in one of said parallel ducts and leave an unobstructed passage for the permanent electrical connections in the housing in the other of said parallel ducts.

, 9. A make and break switch including a contact finger having a substantially circular cross section mounted to swing into and out of contact with a contact member, a movable cam member operatively engaging said contact finger, said cam member having an oiiset supporting surface and an inclined cam surface leading to said supporting surface, a rounded shoulder on said inclined cam surface having a radius substantially corresponding to. the radius of the cross sec-- tion of said contact finger so as to offer a resistance to the movement of said contact finger over said cam surface and cause the operator of said cam member to exert sufilcient initial pressure for the operation of said cam member to have the movement of said cam member produce a quick movement of said contact finger over said cam surface and. out of contact with said con-- tact member after the resistance of the shoulder of said cam surface has been overcome.

10. A make and break switch comprising a strap, a fixed insulated contact member carried at one endof said strap, a flexible spring finger anchored to the other end of said strap, and cam means movably carried by said strap intermediate the endsthereo't to cause said'spr'ing finger to .move into and out of contact ,with said fixed contact member.

11. In a'snap switch, a strap member, a contact stud mounted on said strap member, a resilient contact finger having one end thereof mounted on said strap member at a point thereof spaced from said contact stud, said contact finger being mounted to extend over said strap member and normally engage said contact stud with its free end, said strap member comprising guide means for retaining said contact finger in position to normally engage said contact stud, and displaceable cam means positioned adjacent said strap member to engage said contact finger and being so constructed and arranged that when displaced, it will force said contact finger out of its normal engagement with said contact stud.

12. In a snap switch, a strap member, a contact stud mounted on said strap member, a resilient contact finger having one end thereof mounted to extend over said strap member and normally engage said contact stud with its free end, and a cam member having anactuating contoured surface adapted to engage said contact finger, said strap member comprising means for retaining said cam member displaceably transversely of said strap member with the actuating surface of said cam member engageable with said contact finger for forcing said .contact finger out of its normalengagement with said contact stud when said cam is displaced.

13. Ina snap switch, a strap member, a contact member, a cam member mounted displaceably transversely of said strap member, and movable contact means displaceable by movement of said cam member to make or break contact with tact stud mounted on said strap member, a resilient/ contact finger having one end thereof mounted on said strap member at a point thereof spaced from said contact stud, said contact finger being mounted to extend over said strap member and normally engage said contact stud with its free end, said strap member being provided with a longitudinal slot for retaining said contact finger in position to normally engage said contact stud, and displaceable cam means positioned adjacent said strap member to engage said contact finger and being so constructed and arranged that when displaced it will force said contact finger out of its normal engagement with said contact stud.

B. CONNOLLY. 

